1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a method for treating or preventing heart diseases, especially relates to a method for treating or preventing heart diseases by using a probiotic composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a health issue to people all over the world. Statistically, about one-third population all over the world will die because of CVD. And in Taiwan, dead people from CVD are about one-fourth in all causes of death. Furthermore, CVD includes coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease and hypertensive heart disease, wherein CHD is the most popular heart disease and the major cause of sudden death. The main cause of CHD is atherosclerosis which is resulted from changing of the structure and composition of vascular intima to cause intravascular impaired blood flow or inadequate of blood flow. Therefore, when the atherosclerosis happens on coronary artery of heart, heart diseases symptoms such as myocardial infraction or angina pectoris will be triggered and necrosis and apoptosis of myocardial cells will be induced. Other research results show that the heart of adult mammals lack or have very poor ability of regeneration and the number of myocardial cells will never increase after born. But under outer stimulation, such as diseases, the myocardial cells will become bigger to expand and thicken heart muscles. This is so called the heart hypertrophy. The heart hypertrophy will gradually lead to deficiency of heart function and induce apoptosis of heart muscles. Whatever, individuals will become to a high risk group of the heart failure after apoptosis of myocardial cells, even dead in critical cases. Therefore, apoptosis of myocardial cells greatly affect health and life of a person.
Lactic acid bacteria which can ferment carbohydrate to lactic acid is widely found in nature, such as animals (raw milk or intestine) or plants (vegetables or fruits). Generally speaking, lactic acid bacteria include Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Aerococcus, Carnobacterium, Enterococcus, Oenococcus, Vagococcus, Weisella etc., wherein the Lactobacillus have the most various species. Functionally speaking, lactic acid bacteria can be divided into non-intestine-lived and intestine-lived. Because the prior discoveries show that lactic acid bacteria can extend food storage time, improve food flavor and increase nutritional value, lactic acid bacteria is largely used in food processing industry. Recently, many researches discover that lactic acid bacteria can improve human health, such as lowering cholesterol in serum, increasing activities of immune system, modulating functions of gastrointestinal tract, inhibiting growth of pathogens and tumors. Base on its better safety of human body, lactic acid bacteria has become the most popular ingredient of food additives or dietary supplements.